India to run train across border

India yesterday announced that a special train will run between India and Bangladesh to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore next year and a proposal for passenger train between Agartala and Akhaura has been put forward.
Indian Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee made the announcements while presenting the budget for her ministry for the year 2010-11 in parliament.
The budget proposes no increase in passenger fares and freight rates but cuts the tariff by Rs 100 per wagon in transportation of food grains, kerosene and fertilisers to tackle price rise.
This is the seventh year in a row that passenger fares have not been raised.
Announcing a slew of concessions for passengers, Banerjee proposed free travel for cancer patients going for treatment in three-tier AC and sleeper class and continuance of concessions for students of madrasas and journalists.
Banerjee also proposed to raise 12 companies of women railway protection force personnel within the next five years to ensure security of women passengers.
She also proposed to convert all unmanned level crossings in the country into manned ones within the same period and to introduce automatic fire and smoke detection system in 20 long-distance trains.
For the benefit of passengers, she announced short message service providing updates of reservation status and train timings to passengers as well as updates on movement of wagons to freight customers.
Banerjee also announced introduction of mobile e-ticketing centres at hospitals, universities, courts, Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management, district headquarters and village panchayats.
Opposition parties, including BJP and CPI, flayed the rail budget terming it a "mockery" while ruling Congress said the budget is futuristic and reflects the concerns of the common man.